Grand Turk Stand-up Paddle Boarding

Our Opinion

At this time paddle boarding is mainly limited to the Cockburn Town Beach area due to the location of the water sports businesses. This activity is fun and a great workoout, but there is little in the way of organized tours.

Stand up paddle boarding is an easy to pick up activity that's suitable for almost everyone. This sport utilises what is basically an oversized surf board and a single long-handled paddle.

Quite a few accommodations offer complimentary paddle-board use to guests, and several local Grand Turk businesses offer rentals.

If you look, it’s often possible to see coral and marine animals in the water below, including southern brown stingrays, fish and turtles. Due to their ability to cut through water surface reflections, polarized sunglasses make it much easier to spot creatures.

Paddle Boarding Locations

Perfect water for paddling at Governor's Beach.

Grand Turk unfortunately doesn't have the extensive wetlands that the Caicos Islands have, so paddling spots are more or less limited to either North Creek or off the west coast beaches.

Mangrove Wetlands

North Creek offers limited mangrove wetlands and shallows, but the surrounding buildings and occasional piece of junk machinery detracts a bit from the experience.

This inland marine sound is typically quite calm, which is great for stand up paddle boarding.

Historical Sights

Contrary to the wetland settings we generally suggest for stand up paddling on the other inhabited islands in the Turks and Caicos, our opinion is that visitors will most enjoy exploring the coast close off of Cockburn Town.

Safety and General Advice

As with water sport, be aware of wind and currents. Consider beginning your journey upwind so as to avoid an exhausting return trip.

Due to the northeast equatorial Atlantic trade winds, the breeze typically blows from east to west in the Turks and Caicos. Because all of Grand Turk’s popular beaches are found on the west coast, the land shelters the ocean a bit from the wind, which results in smother surface conditions.